Drought conditions in several areas of
Zimbabwe have resulted in poor harvests and subsequent shortages of maize
meal, the staple food. The central Midlands plateau area, for example,
has not seen a drop of rain since November. Because of the drought, an
estimated 6 million rural Zimbabweans -- nearly half the total population
-- will be unable to meet their minimum food requirements this year. Millions
of people who normally have the resources to purchase maize increasingly
are unable to do so because of high prices and scarcity in local markets.
Although the April maize harvest marginally
alleviated the worst affects of the drought in the short term, the overall
maize harvest this year is down nearly 70 percent from 2001. Wheat stocks
are expected to run out by the end of August, more than a month before
that crop's harvest. Shortages of other food staples, such as vegetable
oil and sugar, also exist nationwide, and there is little sign the shortages
will ease. All health, nutrition and economic indicators point to an impending
disaster in the months ahead.
The situation is compounded by an uncertain political climate, which makes worst-case planning scenarios much more problematic than those used during the previous food shortage of 1992, when regional food reserves were available and transport links were less dilapidated. Food shortages are further exacerbated by the economic crisis that has been intensifying over the past year. As of a recent analysis, inflation is at 116 percent, the unemployment rate is more than 60 percent and the gross domestic product (GDP) has shrunk by more than 20 percent since 1999.
CARE's Response
CARE is working with other aid organizations to assist communities in South Midlands and Masvingo provinces through:
- Emergency Food Distribution: providing
rations to vulnerable individuals and families (more than 800,000 total
benficiaries).
- Supplementary Feeding: providing
meals to children through schools and community feeding points (nearly
600,000 total beneficiaries).
- Improved Access to Grain: helping
rural traders procure and sell maize grain and wheat meal to rural families
who have some resources, but very limited access to food.
- Community Reserve Building: establishing
rural community-based savings clubs that provide simple, low-maintenance
services to support household income-generating activities.
- Seed Diversity and Security: helping improve the capacity of small-scale farmers through the testing, demonstration and propagation of drought-resistant crops as well as the construction of local seed banks.